Connector systems comprised of a plug and a connector block having an index strip and a wiring block, are well known in the art and are commercially available from Lucent Technologies as the 110 connector system. The plug and the connector block, are typically constructed with a plurality of insulation displacement contacts (IDC contacts). In the connector block, the IDC contacts mate with a first set of conductors (typically the building's cable conductors), the conductors being held in place or "indexed" by a plurality of teeth provided on the index strip which lies above the wiring block. A corresponding plurality of spaced-apart teeth carried by the plug serve to index a second set of conductors to be cross-connected through the IDC contacts of the connector block to the first set of conductors.
Such a connector block exhibits a worst pair to pair near-end crosstalk NEXT loss @ 100 MHz of only 46 dB when test leads are punched down directly on the connector block and only 49 dB when an exiting 110 category 5 plug is mated with the connector block.
Accordingly, there is a need for connector block with improved near-end crosstalk performance which is compatible with existing wiring blocks and patch cords.